1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to component connections. In particular aspects, the invention relates to component connections that are useful to interconnect components of an electrical submersible pump of the type used in wellbores and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical submersible pumps (“ESP”s) are commonly used for production of hydrocarbon fluids from oil and gas wells. A typical ESP includes a number of modular subassemblies that are housed within separate subs, or sections, that are secured to one another to function as a unit. An exemplary ESP, for example, would include a motor section, pump section, seal section and might also include a gas separator section. In order to interconnect these sections, individual subs are traditionally provided with flanged end portions. A multiplicity of threaded screws are passed through holes in the flange of one sub into threaded holes in a mating sub, thereby securing the subs together. The width of the flange must be sufficient to accommodate the connecting bolts and, as a result, the interior diameter of the flow passage within the two components being interconnected must be undesirably decreased.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,905 issued to Mack et al. describes techniques for interconnecting ESP components without the use of nuts and bolts commonly found in such connections. The '905 patent is owned by the assignee of the present application and is herein incorporated by reference. Use of this method provides less of an interior restriction than techniques that use bolts. It is also stronger and uses fewer separate components. Over time, however, the tightness of the connection may become undesirably reduced.